St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-10-27
HOW sPoRTsMEN KEEP WELL.
Teemer, the Oarsman, Talks with
Reporter.

Reporter.
The ever present reporter has been
interviewing Teemer the oarsman and
has gathered together some facts about
the way in which sportsmen take care
of themselves that are worthy the con-
sideration of young men in general
who desire to develop good physiques
and to enjoy health. But let the re-
porter tell the story of his conversation
with Teemer:
"And just what do you do each day
to keep in this form 7" | asked.
"Simply take care of myself"
Sand how do you take care of your
self"
81 do each day what every healthy
man in the world ought to do if he
wants to keep healthy, eat well, sleep
we'll and exercise we'll. TO be sure, in
training for a race, do more in the
exercise line, and perhaps am a little
more careful of my diet than is really
necessary for the ordinary man. The
old style of training athletes has now
gone by and you will see but little of
it among the modern champions. 1t
was altogether too vigorous and often
spoiled good man before he had time
to show what he could do. There are
different ways of reducing a mans
weight. One is to do it in the natural
way, the other is by OverwOrk. The
natural way is not so much reducing as
it is keeping man in his normal con-
dition. The old way was the unnatu-
raj. A man would deny himself all
sorts of things that he had a healthy
appetite for, and which would really
do him more good than harm. He
would begin all of a sudden to train, and
not work up to it gradually. The re-
suit is the abrupt change works an in
jury. l think the college crews do
this very often"
'Now you're on something that can
tell you about" broke in Plaisted.
al suppose So" l said, "yOu have
trained a good many college crews,
believe"
"Never trained one in my life. They
trained me. Why the BOwdoin boys
used to tell me all about rowing the
first day l would take them. But, to
speak seriously, 1 think the college
boys are little inclined to overtrain,
especially at the start. But there is no
use, man can't work his brain and
his body at the same time. If he is 60
ing to study he had better stop rowing
and if he's going to row he had better
stop studying. That is one great point
in training professional for a race.
He must use his mental powers just as
little as possible. Of course L don't
mean he mustn't think or anything of
that kind. | mean he mustn't tax his
brain. 1t must be perfectly clear. of
course he must give it an ordinary
amount of work to keep it clear, just
as man who is constantly using his
brain must work his body. Each, you
see, depends upon the other, only you
mustn't work them both to the full ca
pacity at the same time"
"And for that very reason" continued
Teemer, 81 try to keep from worrying
about my races"
"What do you eat 2" l asked.
Anything and everything like that
agrees with me. OF course there are a
good many things l like that are not
good for me. l try not to think any
thing about them SO that it won't be
very much of a denial. But l think |
any body should do this whether they
are training or not"
"Of COURSE" said Plaisted. "The
fact is there is not su,h a great differ
ence between the daily life of an oars
man and the ordinary man us most
people think. The Oarsman pulls
boat better because he is naturally fit
ed for it. You can't make a sculler out
of man who wasn't born for it, no
matter if you train him until the last
gun is fired. Teemer here can pull
boat better than he can do anything
else because he is built that way. Ned
Hanan is fitted for that alone SO is
of the great Oarsmen."
elbow much do you sleep" [ asked
reemer.
"Pretty nearly ten hours. Nine
o'clock will always find me in bed and
am up regularly at seven. But some
men need less and of course take it.
Eight hours is enough for the most of
hem, but need more and must have
IT,
"SmOke ~
"Never used tobacco in any form in
ny life"
"Drink 2"
"Never. Any man who wants to ex-
lei with his body had better leave to-
,acco and alcohol alone once for all.
And if they are harmful for a man
raining for Il race why not for every
,ody 2" All of which, l think, is
worth considering.
"What is your diet nOwq"
"Mostly beef, about half cooked
hops, also pretty rare ; good honest
'read and butter and now and then a
title pastry but the most of US give
'astry wide BERTH"